IP Library Granted Patent US 12,442,152
Granted Patent B2
US 12,442,152 · App. 18/155,348 · Granted Oct 14, 2025

Sound amplification structure and building foundation structure

Inventor: Atsushi Ito (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Shimex Ltd.
E02D27/32G10K11/26H04R1/26
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,442,152
App. No.
18/155,348
Granted
Oct 14, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A sound amplification structure includes a sound path that is formed by an underfloor foundation of a building and a concrete peripheral wall formed by standing up approximately vertically from the underfloor foundation. One end of the sound path (a speaker unit communication section) is able to communicate with a floor speaker unit placed in a room of the building. A width of the sound path widens from the one end toward other end of the sound path. The other end of the sound path (an output unit) is able to output sounds that are emitted from the floor speaker unit and amplified through the sound path. A length of the sound path is 4 m or longer. Preferably, the sound path is U-shaped, Z-shaped, or a zig-zag shaped. The concrete peripheral wall preferably doubles as a building foundation structure.

Claims (13)

1. A speaker system comprising full-range speakers placed in a room of a building and capable of stereo sound reproduction without using a filter circuit, and a building foundation structure, wherein:

the full-range speakers each including a single speaker unit,

the building foundation structure comprises, sequentially from one lateral side to an opposite lateral side, a first underfloor subwoofer, a first sound amplification structure connected to a first of the full-range speakers, a second sound amplification structure connected to a second of the full-range speakers, and a second underfloor subwoofer,

for each of the first sound amplification structure and the second sound amplification structure, a sound path having a first end and a second end is formed by an underfloor foundation of the building and a concrete peripheral wall formed by standing up approximately vertically from the underfloor foundation,

the first end of the sound path is able to communicate with the single speaker unit to be placed in the room of the building,

a width of the sound path widens from the first end to the second end of the sound path,

the ratio of the width of the sound path at the second end to the width of the sound path at the first end is between 2 and 4,

the second end of the sound path is able to output a sound that is emitted from the single speaker unit and amplified through the sound path,

a length of the sound path is 4 m or longer,

the first underfloor subwoofer and the second underfloor subwoofer are configured as bass-reflex types, wherein a subwoofer-side speaker unit is positioned within an area enclosed by the underfloor foundation and a second concrete surrounding wall that rises substantially vertically from the underfloor foundation, with both the front and rear sealed, and

the first underfloor subwoofer and the second underfloor subwoofer are arranged relative to one another in a manner that is approximately symmetrically left and right in planar view.

2. The speaker system according to claim 1 , wherein the sound path is U-shaped, Z-shaped, or a zig-zag shaped.

3. The speaker system according to claim 1 , wherein the concrete peripheral wall also serves as the building foundation structure.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 17, 2023
From: ITO, ATSUSHI
To: SHIMEX LTD.
Reel/Frame 062396/0076 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63267116 · Jan 25, 2022
Related Publication 20230235525A1 · Jul 27, 2023
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